Other Activities
In the mid 1980's I initiated the OURS Project . Besides organizing art and space events both on and off Earth, I have been involved in developing and elaborating a concept called The Space Option. This concept proposes that the large scale utilization of the infinite resources of space to meet the growing needs of humanity on Earth is the most optimistic path to maintaining humanity's future well being. During 2000 and 2001 I collaborated with the European Space Agency and the Maison d'Ailleurs (House of Elsewhere, Yverdon, Switzerland) in a research project about innovative technologies found in Science Fiction. ITSF - Innovative Technologies in Science Fiction for Space Applications .
For my work and active engagement in the astronautical field, I was elected as a Member to the International Academy of Astronautics in 1993 and presently I help organize workshops and symposium on the arts and cultural dimensions of space exploration and development. I was also elected as a Fellow of the International Association of Astronomical Artists. In 2006 I received the Leonardo da Vinci Space Art Award for special contributions in the field of Space Art.
In 1996, I initiated the Swissart Network which develops and maintains swissart.net - the Swiss Art Portal - a web site dedicated to networking the contemporary arts in Switzerland.
In 2004, I opened a personal art gallery and office in the historic Swiss town of Stein am Rhein which celebrated its 1000th anniversary in 2007.
